Spice World
Spice World is a 1997 British/American musical comedy film directed by Bob Spiers, written by Kim Fuller and Jamie Curtis, and starring the best-selling pop girl group the Spice Girls. The lighthearted comedy, made in a similar vein to The Beatles' A Hard Day's Night, depicts fictional events leading up to a major concert at London's Royal Albert Hall, liberally interspersed with dream sequences and flashbacks as well as surreal moments and humorous asides. The film premiered on 15 December 1997 and was released in British cinemas on Boxing Day, followed by the North American release (distributed by Columbia Pictures) on 23 January 1998. Spice World proved to be a hit at the box office breaking the record for the highest-ever weekend debut for Super Bowl Weekend (25 January 1998) in the US, with box office sales of $10,527,222. The movie took in total $77 million dollars at the box office worldwide, $100 million combining cinema tickets and DVD Sales, including $30 million in the USA and £11 million in Britain. Despite it being successful at the box office, the film received negative reviews. It has since become a cult classic due to home video releases. Plot The girls separately think back on their humble beginnings and their struggle to the top. They reunite by chance outside the now-closed pub where they practised during their childhood years, reconcile, and decide to take Nicola out dancing. However, Nicola goes into labour at the nightclub and is rushed to the hospital in the girls' bus. The girls decided to stay at the hospital to provide Nicola with support and refuse to perform at the Albert Hall until after Nicola has given birth. On the day of the girls' Albert Hall gig, Nicola finally gives birth to a baby girl. As the girls are preparing to leave the hospital for their Albert Hall gig, they accidentally bump into a doctor. When Emma notices he has a camera, the girls realize that the doctor is Damien, who runs off with the girls in hot pursuit, only to hit his head after accidentally colliding with an empty stretcher. When Damien sees the girls standing over him, he tells them that they have made him see the error of his ways, and he goes after McMaxford, who is subsequently fired in a "Jacuzzi Scandal". After noticing the girls' bus driver, Dennis (Meat Loaf) is missing, Victoria decides to drive herself. So, it becomes a race against time as Victoria drives like a maniac. While approaching to the Tower Bridge, it starts to go up to let a boat through the River Thames. Victoria drives up the bridge and over the gap in a low-tech clip. The bus finally lands safely on the other side of London, but when Emma opens a trapdoor in the floor, she discovers a bomb, and the girls scream before Emma slams the trapdoor shut again.The Spice Girls are performing their song "Too Much" at the Top of the Pops, but they become dissatisfied with the burdens of it. The sinister newspaper owner, Kevin McMaxford (Barry Humphries), is attempting to ruin the girls' reputation and even dispatches a photographer, Damien (Richard O'Brien), to take pictures and tape recordings of the girls. Less threatening but more annoying is a film director, Piers Cuthbertson-Smyth (Alan Cumming), who stalks the girls along with his crew, hoping to use them as documentary subjects. At the same time, the girls' manager, Clifford (Richard E. Grant), is fending off with two overeager Hollywood writers, Martin Barnfield and Graydon (George Wendt and Mark McKinney), who relentlessly pitch absurd plot ideas for the girls' film. Amid this, the girls must prepare for their concert at the Albert Hall, their biggest performance throughout their career. At the heart of it, the constant practices, traveling, publicity appearances, and other burdens of celebrity affect the girls on a personal level, preventing them from spending much time with their pregnant best friend, Nicola (Naoko Mori), who is due to give birth soon. Throughout their busy schedule, the girls attempt to ask Clifford for a time off to spend with Nicola and relax, but Clifford refuses because the head of the girls' record label, the cryptic and eccentric "Chief" (Roger Moore) would not recommend it. The stress and overwork compound, which culminating in a huge argument between Clifford and the girls, who unexpectedly storm out the evening before their gig at the Albert Hall. The girls finally arrive at the Albert Hall for their performance and run up the steps to the [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gonna_Fly_Now Rocky theme]. The girls have one more obstacle to overcome: a London policeman (Kevin McNally) charged the girls with: "dangerous driving, criminal damage, flying a bus without a license, and frightening the pigeons". Emma pushes forward and tells the policeman that she and the other girls were late for their performance at the Albert Hall. Emma smiles at the policeman, and he lets the girls off. The girls perform their song "Spice Up Your Life" at the centre stage of the Albert Hall. During the closing credits the supporting cast talk about the girls' film and interviewing with them. Mel C breaks the fourth wall and tells the other girls that the outgoing audience is watching them. The girls talk to the audience and discuss the film, just minutes before the bomb in their bus explodes. Cast *The Spice Girls **Victoria Beckham **Melanie Brown **Emma Bunton **Melanie Chisholm **Geri Halliwell *Richard E. Grant as Clifford, the girls' manager *Claire Rushbrook as Deborah, the girls' assistant *Roger Moore as The Chief, the head of the girls' record label *Naoko Mori as Nicola, the girls' pregnant best friend *Meat Loaf as Dennis, the girls' bus driver *Barry Humphries as Kevin McMaxford, the sinister newspaper owner who attempts to ruin the girls' reputation in order to cash in on the headlines. *Richard O'Brien as Damien, a paparazzi photographer who takes pictures and tape recordings of the girls. *Alan Cumming as Piers Cuthbertson-Smyth, a film director who stalks the girls, hoping to use them as documentary subjects. *George Wendt and Mark McKinney as Martin Barnfield and Graydon, two overeager Hollywood writers who relentlessly pitch absurd plot ideas for the girls' film. *Michael Barrymore as Mr. Step, the choreographer *Jools Holland as Musical director *Kevin McNally as Policeman and Dance of the Goblins disassociator *Kevin Allen as Gainer, television director *Peter Sissons as Newsreader *Richard Briers as Bishop *Dominic West as Photographer *Bill Paterson as Brian Category:Women's cinema Category:1997 films